The invention relates to a lighting fixture in general and more specifically is directed toward an overhead lighting fixture for a transit vehicle that is to provide general overhead illumination and also to provide a structure to display advertising material that would be illuminated from its rear surface.
In the past overhead lighting fixtures have been known that were used in transit vehicles to provide general transit vehicle illumination and also to display advertising material. Most of these lighting fixtures had housings of various configurations that were attached to the cornice interior area of the transit vehicle. Due to the different curvatures of the cornice area in the many transit vehicles special housings were required to fit the individual configurations or attempts were made to make the housing fit the corner area as best as possible.
In addition to the overhead lighting fixture, most transit vehicles have overhead passenger hand assist rails that are attached in some manner to the ceiling of the vehicle. Previous overhead light fixtures made no attempt to combine their structure with the passenger hand assist rails.
Periodically fluorescent lights in the overhead light fixture burn out, and this necessitates the changing of the bulb. Numerous latching structures have been developed, but most of these incorporate fasteners which become bothersome or which do not function properly or are difficult to operate.
It is an object of the invention to provide a novel overhead lighting fixture that utilizes the ceiling of the transit vehicle for a part of the light housing.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an overhead lighting fixture that incorporates a part of the passenger hand assist rail assembly support structure as a side of the lighting fixture housing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel overhead lighting fixture that allows for easy installation and removal of light panels without working with fasteners.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a novel overhead lighting fixture having a novel latching structure.